As deregulation of the telephone industry continues and as companies prepare to enter the local telephone access market, there is a need to offer new and innovative services that distinguish common carriers from their competitors. This cannot be accomplished without introducing new local access network architectures that will be able to support these new and innovative services.
Conventionally, customer premises telephone and/or data connections contain splitters for separating analog voice calls from other data services such as Ethernet transported over digital subscriber line (DSL) modems. Voice band data and voice signals are sent through a communications switch in a central or local office to an interexchange carrier or Internet service provider. DSL data is sent through a digital subscriber loop asynchronous mode (DSLAM) switch which may include a router. The DSLAM switch connects many lines and routes the digital data to a telephone company's digital switch.
A major problem with this configuration is that interexchange carriers attempting to penetrate the local telephone company's territory must lease trunk lines from the local telephone company switch to the interexchange company's network for digital traffic. Furthermore, the Internet service provider must lease a modem from the local phone company in the DSLAM switch and route its data through the local phone company's digital switch. Thus, the local phone company leases and/or provides a significant amount of equipment, driving up the cost of entry for any other company trying to provide local telephone services and making it difficult for the interexchange companies to differentiate their services. Furthermore, since DSL modem technology is not standardized, in order to ensure compatibility, the DSL modem provided by the local telephone company must also be provided to the end user in the customer premises equipment (CPE). Additionally, since the network is not completely controlled by the interexchange companies, it is difficult for the interexchange companies to provide data at committed delivery rates. Any performance improvements implemented by the interexchange companies may not be realized by their customers, because the capabilities of the local telephone company equipment may or may not meet their performance needs. Thus, it is difficult for the interexchange companies to convince potential customers to switch to their equipment or to use their services. These factors ensure the continued market presence of the local telephone company.
As part of this system, there is a need for improved architectures, services and equipment utilized to distinguish the interexchange companies' products and services. One aspect of such desirable architecture, services and equipment would provide, among other functions, interactive video and telephone services. It would be desirable to provide such video services using a set-top device that would permit the desired system to interface with a conventional television set. It would also be desirable to provide an interface permitting ease of use of the services available through such an architecture.
Such a system would also ideally incorporate remote telephonic features such that telephone services could be provided through a portable wireless transceiver used within the residence or place of use and in close proximity to a base unit. Wireless telephones are, in general, known. Their use may be problematic, however, when they are employed in environments which also include separate remote control implements for televisions and other devices. For example, when a person who is viewing a television program receives a telephone call, he or she may need to locate the remote control and adjust the television parameters, i.e., volume, before answering the telephone. Such an exercise represents a challenge in device management where the wireless telephone and remote control are housed in separate units.
There is also a need to provide improved interfacing, ergonomics and power efficiency in handsets which may house telephonic devices. Typically, rather heavy and large power supplies must be provided in wireless telephone handsets in order to provide the necessary power. Often, operation of the telephone handset speaker to transform the caller's voice into an audible signal consumes the majority of the energy stored in the handset battery. The power requirements often result in short usage times between recharges and in rather heavy handset devices that are ergonomically cumbersome. It would therefore be desirable to provide a handset which is adaptable to a low power mode of operation in order to prolong the time between recharging and possibly permit smaller and lighter power supplies to be incorporated into their design.
Arrangements for interfacing with and integrating the functions of a telephone and a remote control for a television receiver are proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,456,925 and 5,671,267, the subject matter of both patents is incorporated herein by reference. However, these systems lack certain conveniences and other desirable features. This invention addresses a need for greater convenience, versatility and energy efficiency in an integrated, remote-controlled telephone and video receiver system.